Of Bears and Hybrids
by klarolineepiclove
Summary: A Klaroline drabble: In which Caroline's more human tendancies get the better of her. Klaroline, a smidge of Stebekah, mention of Delena.


_Drabble: In which Caroline's more human tendencies get the better of her._

Caroline awoke with a start, the remnants of her dream fading quickly to the back of her mind as she sighed softly in the darkness of the bedroom. She flopped her blonde head back down onto the pillows, conscious of the sleeping Hybrid curled next to her. She couldn't quite remember what jolted her from her slumber—a feeling, an image, a sound? She sighed again, turning her head to gaze at Klaus, a small, content smile spread across her face.

She rarely got to see him sleep.

Anytime they were together, he was usually always the last one to close his eyes and the first one awake, always propped on his elbow, gazing down at her with a smile in his creepy stalker way that she now admitted was endearing. The few times she'd caught him unawares, however, were times she truly cherished.

It always astounded her at just how innocent he looked when asleep. No lines marred his beautiful face. No frown tugged at his lips. He was simply Nik. _Her_ Nik now, but Nik all the same.

He was turned towards her on his side, one strong arm draped lazily around her waist, holding onto her even in sleep.

As if you needed to worry about me leaving, you silly hybrid, Caroline thought to herself, reaching up a hand slowly to trail her fingers down his stubbled cheek. He twitched slightly in his sleep, and she bit her lip to stifle the giggle she felt in her chest.

She let her eyes trail down his bare chest, the moonlight from the window casting an eerie glow over the faded scars that adorned it. Her heart clenched in her throat, and she fought down the emotions that always brewed forth at the thought of Mikael and all of his hatred towards his children.

That was in the past now. Certainly now use dwelling on it, love.

His whispered words echoed in her head again, and she sighed, leaning into the pillows as her hand reached for his in the darkness.

And then there it was. That distinct thump. That thump that had interrupted her dream.

Caroline froze, her fingers hovering slightly over Klaus', and even despite the last three years she had spent as a vampire, she couldn't stop the irrational human fear that was creeping up her spine.

After all, thousands of horror movies were made based on this. A big, dark house. A young blonde woman, struck down by some psychopath while her handsome boyfriend slept peacefully next to her.

Her thoughts stopped for a moment as she glanced again at Klaus.

Okay, so maybe in this example, her handsome boyfriend WAS the psycho killer…

The thump sounded again, and Caroline sighed, gently and quietly slipping out from under Klaus' grasp. She winced when he made a soft groaning noise, his brow furrowing as he threw his arm across the bed, turning onto his other side and burying his face in the pillow.

Slipping out from under the covers, Caroline made her way across the darkened bedroom, her bare feet silent as she trekked across the plush carpet, the edges of Nik's white button-up shirt grazing her thighs with every step. She cast another glance over her shoulder as she quietly pulled open the door, and seeing the hybrid still slumbering, quickly made her way out into the hall.

She knew this was foolish. Who would be stupid enough to break into a house full of Originals? Damon's face quickly flashed through her mind, but she pushed it aside with annoyance. Ever since Elena had transitioned and chose the elder Salvatore, her maker had been seen less and less around Mystic Falls. She couldn't say she was completely unhappy about it, given the fact that he and Klaus were constantly at each other's throats when in the same room, but she did miss her eternal best friend.

Glancing down the empty hallway, Caroline made her way to the banister, her keen eyes taking in every detail of the darkened house. It was deserted. Not that she should be surprised. With a glance at the old grandfather clock that rest against the wall, she saw that it was well past 3 in the morning. Even vampires needed their beauty rest.

Still, she couldn't shake that feeling; couldn't ignore that thump.

Closing her eyes, she placed a hand to her temple, honing her senses, just as Stefan and Klaus had taught her to do. She heard the unmistakable sound of pages of a book turning, and she guessed Elijah was in the library downstairs, sleep evading him as it often did the eldest Mikaelson sibling. Down the hall, the sound of the television blared from Kol's room, the sound of his snoring mixing the irritatingly perky voice of the infomercial saleswoman. On the opposite end, Rebekah's soft giggles, intermingling with the silent, whispered voice of Stefan. Sweet nothings, he was whispering to her. Promises and pledges, and memories, Caroline was happy to see.

She was glad her best friend had struck back up his relationship with Klaus' sister. He deserved to be happy, and it certainly helped her strained relationship with Rebekah.

Her brow furrowed.

Nothing. There was nothing amiss. Maybe she had been imagining things. It was an old, gigantic house after all. Houses settled. Wind rattled windows. Maybe she had heard a tree branch crashing against the side of the—

She bit back a shriek when an arm snake around her waist from behind. Before she could spin around and face her offender, a pair of familiar lips latched themselves onto the side of her neck, and she relaxed, letting her hand fall over the one clutching her stomach and pulling her back into his chest.

"You scared the hell out me," she hissed, throwing a half-hearted glare over her shoulder.

Klaus smirked against her skin, his arms tightening around her waist. "My apologies, love," he whispered, raising his head and placing a gentle, adoring kiss on her temple. "I awoke without your warm presence next to me. I worried a bit." Her lips tugged up at his comments, and he couldn't help but smile, his breath fanning out against her cheek as he pressed himself closer. "What it is, Caroline?" he asked, his trained ears searching out for whatever discord had evidently shaken his beloved.

"Nothing," she said, shaking her head and turning around in his arms, looping her arms around his neck. When he arched an eyebrow at her, she smiled a small, embarrassed smile, shaking her head as avoided his gaze. "Really, Nik, it's nothing. I just…heard a sound, that's all."

"A sound?"

She could hear the laughter in his voice, and she raised her gaze to meet his again, seeing his brilliant eyes dancing in front of her. Oh, how he enjoyed teasing her about her still human ways. Her irrational fears, her determination to live the whole college experience, despite the fact that the man she shared a bed with possessed more knowledge than ten of her professors combined. He ribbed her about them constantly, though once he saw that familiar pout crossing her face, always pressed a gentle kiss to her lips and assured her it was one of the things he had fallen for to begin with.

"Yes, a noise," she said stiffly, ignoring the way his perfect lips twitched at the annoyance in her voice. He gazed at her in adoration, his face a complete mask of happiness, and she couldn't help that her resolve melted instantly. She shrugged, that embarrassed smile once again gracing her eternally young face. "I think it was a bear or…something."

At that, Klaus laughed, a small laugh that barely echoed off the walls. He shook his head, reaching up to push a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "A bear, love? Come, now."

"Laugh all you want, Klaus, but it HAPPENS," she stressed, releasing her hold on his neck and letting her hands rest on his bare shoulders. "You see it all the time. The bear that wonders in from the woods and starts raiding your fridge, and before you know it, your cookie dough ice cream and left-over Buffalo pizza are gone." She frowned in her rant, her brow furrowing in the most adorable way Klaus had ever seen. "I don't know about the blood bags though…"

He laughed again, a little louder this time, and pressed his forehead against her. "Oh, my sweet Caroline," he whispered, smirking when he could practically HEAR her rolling her eyes.

"Fine, don't believe me," she said, huffing, as she pulled out his arms and maneuvered around him in the dark hallway. "You just keep up at that mocking and laughter when Smokey the Bear rages into our bedroom. It's a good thing your side of the bed is closest to the door. He'll start chowing down on you and it will give me a chance to run."

She couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips when his fingers closed around her wrist, lifting her arm and twirling her back into his embrace. Her hands came to rest against his broad chest, and she tilted up her head when his lips found hers in the darkness. It was a gentle kiss, a brief kiss.

It amazed her at how much he could say in that brief moment.

"Do you honestly believe, my love," he whispered against her lips, one hand entangling in the mess of hair that cascaded down her back, and the other grasping her hip firmly. "That the Big Bad Wolf would ever let some sorry excuse of a bear harm a single, flawless hair on your head?"

Caroline grinned at his mention of her nickname for him, and not for the first time she rejoiced at the way things had turned out.

They'd made it. Through all the tragedy and turmoil, they'd made it.

She leaned up on her tiptoes, crushing her lips to his again. "I may need a bit reminding, Mr. Wolf," she whispered playfully, her fingers curling into the curls at the nape of his neck. She grinned when he closed his eyes and his head tilted back slightly. She knew his weak spots, too. "My brain's a little fuzzy from all the bear hysteria." She arched an eyebrow coyly at him. "Of course, if you'd RATHER leave me to fend for myself, I'm sure Stefan would be glad to help the damsel in distress."

She shrieked then, loud and echoing off the walls as she was hauled off the floor and over his shoulder, a growl curling its way out of his throat, her hair flowing down over her as she laughed, her hand instinctively going to his waist to steady herself. She laughed, shaking her head. Sure it was a low blow, using her friendship with Stefan—a friendship Klaus wasn't entirely pleased about, given his tendency to overreact and jump to conclusions, despite the fact that there wasn't a single romantic inkling between the two younger vampires—but it certainly got the job done, didn't it?

She giggled with every step he took, until they reached the door to their bedroom, where she was thankfully returned to her feet. She didn't even have time to say something snarky to him before his lips covered hers again, his arms wrapping around her to crush her to his chest.

"When I have I ever left you to fend for yourself, Caroline," he said roughly, pressing his forehead to hers. "I will always look after you, love. Nothing will ever harm you. No bears. No wolves. Certainly not the RIPPER," he said, scowling, to which she shook her head and smiled. "No one shall ever extinguish the light in your eyes."

She smiled, rolling her eyes. "Still just as corny as ever," she whispered against his lips, and she sighed when she felt his quirk up.

"And don't forget it love."

Suddenly a thump dashed them apart, one much louder than that which woke Caroline up.

"Can I forget it then?" Kol's exasperated voice yelled from down the hall. "Bloody hell, it's 3 in the morning! Would you two horny bloodsuckers just get it _ON WITH_ so I can finally get some sleep?"

Caroline laughed, her arms still tightly wrapped around Klaus' neck, when her legs her suddenly pulled out from under her. She grinned as Klaus cradled her in his arms, one hand under her knees and the other braced firmly behind her back as he made their way into the bedroom, kicking the door shut behind him and depositing her on the bed in one swift, super speed movement. She grinned when his body quickly covered hers, his lips leaving a fiery trail down the path of her neck.

"You heard the man, love," he smirked against her skin, feeling her fingers curl into his hair. "After all, AM the Big Bad Wolf. I have a reputation to uphold. Certainly can't let a silly old bear tarnish it by scaring you senseless."

Caroline giggled, raising his head to brush her lips against his again.

Yes, they'd made it.

And she wouldn't change it for the world.


End file.
